The present invention relates generally to an improved design and construction of back support for chairs and seats, for use in the furniture industry.
As modern living standards move forward, people are expecting better seat and chair construction. New and improved furniture design, particularly related to that of chairs and seat backs, is highly valued, since the time people have to spend in home and office settings entails the need for better comfort and ergonomic consideration. The back support provided to users and efficiently adding to user comfort has been a hot area in the seat back industry.
Currently, there is a type of seat back that is constructed from a layer (or two layers) of fabric spread and tensioned around a perimeter frame, forming a seat back with sufficient elasticity (due to the inherent nature of the fabric) for support and comfort.
The way to construct the aforesaid “fabric back” seat back is by two matching plastic frames that pinched or squeezed a layer of fabric in between, and then secure and tighten the two frames with a plurality of screws.
The drawbacks of such construction include the cost of molding for plastic injection for the production of the frame, since the molding costs for the frames (which consist of matching groove feature, or other interlocking, meshing feature to pinch/squeeze the fabric in between) can vary, reflecting to the changing sizes and shapes of different chairs. The drawback also includes the loosening of the fabric, even though tightened after leaving factory, through use over time, entailing the use of an additional central column, either vertical or horizontal, for purpose of maintaining the tautness of the fabric. The addition of a central column certainly adds to the cost of production.
Thirdly, the plastic frames are the outer edge of the seat back and are not aesthetically appealing.
In light of the business environment where the product life cycle is short, yet the consumer demands are ever changing, necessitating varied and different design needs, manufacturers are constantly looking for economic ways for producing goods that are responsive to the current trends.
The cost of tooling for plastic molding, in the case where seat back frame is made of plastic injection, is oftentimes higher than metal ramming and bending, unless the quantity of such plastic injection is substantially large enough to justify the cost of molding.
As a result, using wood frame that allows fabric to be nailed in and sewn in to the wood frame, which is then coupled to a metal frame, is a better way of producing changing shape/design for seat back while the quantity of production is limited.